Its been a month that I chanced upon the magical world of Manik and Nandini. It's such a pity that the personal equations between the cast turned so sour that an epic story of love and friendship had to untimely die out. However, I feel they (Manik...
A/N: I appologize my beloved readers that I am posting half a chapter after a week, but trust me I couldn't do better. if i had waited to complete the chapter, it would hav taken me 3 more days... so instead i am posting the first half, and while u read this one, i will work on the remaining one. I know its short and won't satiate ur thirst, but i also know u r kind and loving and forgiving :)
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"Chachi kya kar rahe ho, mere baal kharab ho jayenge aise to" Manik was cribbing like a 10 year old. Of the many things that he was particularly possessive about, his thick and shiny hair topped the list. No one touched it; it was an unspoken rule, written in blood.
But chachi didn't seem to pay any heed to his pleas. She was messing it up big time by insisting that he wear a safa.
"To tu bina safe ke hi shaadi karega kya? Are shahrukh bhi to saafe mein kitna sona lagta hai.." She reprimanded him while adjusting the turbar (safa) on his head.
"Karta hoga aapka Shahrukh, par mujhe nai karna, aap na mera natural dude look bigaar rahe ho, yikes."
"Manik...bache aise zidd nahi karte. Shaadi ke har rasam ke apne maine hote hain. Bahar se dekhne mein jitne bhi bematlab kyun na lage, har cheez ka, har rasam ki apni ahmiyat hoti hai beta, fir chahe who tera safa ho ya sehra, Nandini ke kalire hon ya chunri. Aur tere baal to reh jayenge par yeh din dubara nahi ayega."
Manik intently studied her reflection in the mirror, as chachi got busy selecting one from amongst the three sets of wedding trousseau that Alya had sent over, lying on the bed infront of them. "Idhar aa" she called Manik and as he complied, she picked each sherwani, turn by turn and holding it against his handsome frame, started comparing, trying to decide, which one looked best on him. And she wasn't done with just that. She had to pick the matching broach, matching jootis and a matching safa. Had anyone, except Nandini ever cared so much for such little things?
Manik stood still, absolutely still, no more insisting or resisting. Is this how a mother looked? Is this how it felt to be scolded by her? How would he know? The one who had given birth to him, had only been a namesake, anything but a mother. All his life, he had been stubborn and mean and monstrous just so someone would lovingly correct him, and here he was with a person he had no connection with, except that she was Nandini's aunt and yet over the years she had loved him like her own son.
When he closed the door behind chachi to change into the clothes she had painstakingly selected for him, he grew pensive...even though he should have been overwhelmed with joy. He was so used to being shunned, that all this love felt surreal to him. Did he deserve it? Was he worth it? How could people be so selfless? He could understand Nandini's love, for they were soulmates, but chachi...what had he ever done for her that on this day, when the apple of her eye was getting married, instead of being with her, she was here, standing as HIS mother, fretting over what he should or should not wear. How could chachi and Nyonika co exist in the same world? And why was he born to the later, when he would have died to be born to the former. A silent tear trickled down his cheek and eventhough he was an atheist, he felt compelled to say at least one 'thank you' to whoever it was that Nandini prayed to, her invisible Aiyappa.
"hay rabba, kitna sona lag raha hai tu, bilkul Nandini ka prince" She rubbed the tip of her ring finger, over the edge of her kohl ladden eye and gently left an impression on Manik's neck, just below his left ear. "tujhe kisi ki nazar na lage, meri bhi nahi."
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On the other hand, the friends were all individually and collectively busy. Navya had to step up since chachi wasn't there. She helped Nandini dress up, and coordinated with the girl from the parlour to do Nandini's make up. She had to tell her a 100 times to keep it light and simple, unlike most of the brides she must have decked up. Because that's how Nandini was, beautiful in her simplicity. So no absurd bouffant, no gaudy make up and no false eye lashes.
Alya and Dhruv were at the venue, the lawn adjacent to the old mahalakshmi temple in Malad, which the temple authorities rented out for weddings. This wasn't the kind of place, she would have wanted to see her bestest friend get married at. Let's be honest, it was basic, an open lawn, surrounded by mid length trees. And she would have remained disheartened all through had it not been for Dhruv. The way he had set up her place for sangeet, like weaving magic out of nothing, she more than knew he would weave some today as well, and though they didn't have a blue print on paper, Dhruv had it all covered in his head. Bit by bit they built it from scratch, stealing a few moments here and there for themselves. Alya could barely express in words, how much she enjoyed doing things with Dhruv. His subdued demeanor and quiet nature hardly let one catch a glimpse of the beast he hid inside. He was superbly talented, meticulous and had an amazing eye for details. He didn't have a formal degree in design or interiors, yet he could match up to her any given day. She liked this sense of building something with him, like she belonged here, like she was desired and every bit worthy and every bit capable of turning ordinary into magic.
"How does it look?" Dhruv asked, resting his hand on her shoulder as she leaned back to take one final glance at the outcome of their 4 hours of back breaking hard work.
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She could have said 'Beautiful ' or 'splendid' or 'Magical', but instead she said "I wish someone makes something like this for me, when I get married", and she said it looking straight into his eyes, leaving no doubt that she wished him to be that man. And then just as suddenly she broke away, looking back at the mandap. "who would have thought, oneday I would decorate Manik's mandap, and stitch his wedding clothes. Life can be really funny at times. He was the guy I loved for 7 years, he was the one who left me heart broken and yet here I am happier than ever, prepping up for his wedding."
Dhruv stayed mum.
"You know what Dhruv, when we make our biggest mistakes, when we think we are falling apart, we are actually being re routed to where we truly belong. Falling apart I guess is the first step of being fixed back. We all have to take that journey when we break to pieces, we all have to reach a point where our backs hit the wall, because that's when we turn around and realize our true calling, that's when we actually break free of the shackles and learn to breathe free...." She closed her eyes and took a deep breath... "I feel free...and I am happy."
Her words were wise beyond her age, contrasting to her restless persona. Had he too made that journey? Reached that stage where he had completely broken apart, he wondered, or was there more to see, farther to go before he would finally begin to see light. But come what may, lesson or blessing, he wouldn't let go of her this time, it was as much her needing him as he needed her..oneday he really hoped, he would build a mandap much more grandiose for this girl with a pure heart.
